Open Carry Day in TN?

[Guest mrnord]

Hmmm....

Getting an idea here...

Pretty much every interest group out there has a "Day on the Hill" during the legislative session. For example, there is a Higher Education Day when a bunch of students/faculty/staff/big shot administrators from TBR and UT basically roam the halls of the legislature, press the flesh, hold news conferences, present reports, advocate for whatever legislation is around, asking for more money in the budget, etc.

We cant do "carry day on the hill" since firearms are not permitted in govt buildings, but maybe as part of a state-wide carry day, a carry day outside the capitol (on a Nashville public street -totally legal), hold a news conference, have a rally, open carry, etc.

Then we invite all the media to board a chartered bus, take them out to a range somewhere and have a "media shoot," (no, not "shoot the media"!) where we introduce the media and any govt officials who come along to shooting. Have a variety of handguns, get corporate sponsorships, have instructors and RSOs available for mini-lessons & safety. Bring out the ACS folks and have them talk about the charity shoot they do, have someone from the NRA Foundation talk about where all their grant money goes, etc...

And of course, this is all sponsored by TGO, and everyone present gets an invite to join TGO.

The idea here is to build some positive visibility, which I think was The Rabbi's original plan, in a controlled setting.

We would do this next March, on "TN Constitution Day" so would have plenty of time to plan.

Thoughts?

I would definately like this idea better than just everyone open carry at random places on a given day. A day or week long organized event would lend more credibility than a protest. (Honey vs. Vinegar) We want to be seen as making a statement, not making a dare.

Carl

Carl

[Guest Phantom6]

Len wrote:

...have a "media shoot," (no, not "shoot the media"!)

I say we put the anti-gun media on a second bus and take 'em out to the Southern Services landfill on Amy Lynn Dr. there off of Hydes Ferry and proceed with the real media shoot.

(If you are a media type and looking to take this bit-o-humor out of context then you had better not laugh the next time you see a bumper sticker on a vehicle that says "Mother-in-Law in trunk")

Actually, all kidding aside you may have something there with that "Carry Day on the Hill". I think we need to put some more thought into that.

[Guest Boomhower]

I'd have to say that it really doesn't make me no matter which way a person wants to carry. I will say that I'm not crazy about OC, just for the fact of everyone staring, talking, wh'ever ya have it. That being said, I think what Len has said below is a very well thought out and orgainzed idea for the purposed of an OC day. From what I'm gathering from the post above, ppl would like to raise awareness. But good awareness at that. Awareness that lets ppl see that the majority of guns are owned by the good guys, and hey, our right to bare is legal. Currently, most of what we get to see is the other awareness. The bad kind. The kind in which ppl only see the bad guys all over the news, with a gun shoved in someone’s face, or someone else with a "CAP" (yes I said it!!) in their dairy air. We need more good publicity, or our right may very well go away. One bad apple tends to spoil the whole bushel, and we’ve had a many a bushel spoiled.

Great thoughts Len!!

Hmmm....

Getting an idea here...

Pretty much every interest group out there has a "Day on the Hill" during the legislative session. For example, there is a Higher Education Day when a bunch of students/faculty/staff/big shot administrators from TBR and UT basically roam the halls of the legislature, press the flesh, hold news conferences, present reports, advocate for whatever legislation is around, asking for more money in the budget, etc.

We cant do "carry day on the hill" since firearms are not permitted in govt buildings, but maybe as part of a state-wide carry day, a carry day outside the capitol (on a Nashville public street -totally legal), hold a news conference, have a rally, open carry, etc.

Then we invite all the media to board a chartered bus, take them out to a range somewhere and have a "media shoot," (no, not "shoot the media"!) where we introduce the media and any govt officials who come along to shooting. Have a variety of handguns, get corporate sponsorships, have instructors and RSOs available for mini-lessons & safety. Bring out the ACS folks and have them talk about the charity shoot they do, have someone from the NRA Foundation talk about where all their grant money goes, etc...

And of course, this is all sponsored by TGO, and everyone present gets an invite to join TGO.

The idea here is to build some positive visibility, which I think was The Rabbi's original plan, in a controlled setting.

We would do this next March, on "TN Constitution Day" so would have plenty of time to plan.

Thoughts?

[Guest mrnord]

Please keep in mind that even though we all know that shoot the media statements are in humor, that the media can and has taken those type of statements out of context and used them to forward thier owm agenda...

Carl

[Guest Hyaloid]

I'm with you Len.

[Guest Archimedes]

Bill... you sneak... I know you! You just want an open carry day to indentify potential new customers!! "Oh, look... HE doesn't have one!"

Haha!!!

I LOLed!!!

~Archi

[bteague2]

That sounds like a great idea Len, I'd be interested in helping with that anyway possible.

[Guest ProguninTN]

I'd be interested if this gets off the ground.

[Guest jackdog]

I have to agree with Len, we need to make the right statement in the right way. I'd be more than happy to help out with this project.

[dkd83]

Len,

I think the idea for a "carry day" sounds like a brilliant idea. Timing the event to coincide with TN Constitution Day makes perfect sense and lends legitimacy to the entire enterprise.

I will gladly participate in any version of this the TGO comunity sees fit to agree upon.

[Guest Engloid]

I think it would be good also. It would surely hit the news, and when people see how many GOOD people carry guns, they may think twice about their opinions on it. It also may prove to them that gun crimes don't go up when GOOD people carry guns.

It would be great if the news even interviewed people that said they actually felt safer going out on that day.

Further, many of our friends may not know we carry at all. It would allow them the opportunity to ask questions about gun permits, in case they had thought about getting a permit but didn't know how to go about doing it.

[dralarms]

Holy thread resurection, Batman.

[gregintenn]

You all don't see the media turning something like this into a gun totin, bible thumpin, hillbilly bashing ceremony?

[mikegideon]

You all don't see the media turning something like this into a gun totin, bible thumpin, hillbilly bashing ceremony?

Most likely.

[Guest Gene83]

You all don't see the media turning something like this into a gun totin, bible thumpin, hillbilly bashing ceremony?

That's something like what I was thinking. I like the open carry law simply for the fact that if your concealment isn't really as good as you thought it was, you're still good to go as far as the law is concerned.

But, I would just as soon not give the Brady bunch an excuse to get any more riled up than they already are.

[Sidinman]

Len,

I think the idea for a "carry day" sounds like a brilliant idea. Timing the event to coincide with TN Constitution Day makes perfect sense and lends legitimacy to the entire enterprise.

I will gladly participate in any version of this the TGO comunity sees fit to agree upon.

+1

[Shark1591]

My thinking is that if everyone OC there is the huge possibility of a backlash.

Yes, everyone would see how many average citizens have HCPs.

Imagine 15 people walking into McDonalds or another restaurant OC. I'll bet signs would go up in places we have not seen them.

I'll also bet there would be more people calling for more restrictions on HCPs.

By the time pictures of everyone who OC came out in the paper, and the numbers of people who have HCPs are printed along with those pictures... Watch out...

Don't poke the bear.... (Sorta' like not calling attention to the wrong signage or demanding to know why there is a sign.)

Just thinkin'....

[Smith]

WOW! a 3 yr. old thread revival ..... and a Rabbi one at that.

[TGO David]

If there's any merit to this thread, it's worth starting a new one centered around whatever it is. Closing this.